"What is important is there is still a constituency, and the most modernised constituency in Russia, that does not see Putin as a desired president"

- Maria Lipman, political analyst

Organisers said the demonstration along a main Moscow thoroughfare towards Bolotnaya Square opposite the river from the Kremlin was to conclude with a meeting that city authorities officially limited to 5,000 people.

Maria Lipman, a political analyst from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said from Moscow: "The rally that has been authorised implies that 5,000 will take part. Maybe more can be expected, however not the many tens of thousands that we saw in Moscow streets and squares in December, February and March."

Protests 'on decline'

"The mass protests are maybe losing momentum and may be on decline, however what is important is there is still a constituency, and the most modernised constituency in Russia, that does not see Putin as a desired president.

"I think that part of society will not reconcile to the fact that Putin holds power for the next six years, and we may see more eruptions of discontent in the following years over various kinds of developments," she said.

Putin's return to the presidency will technically give him greater powers than he previously wielded as prime minister.

He has dismissed the allegations that widespread fraud helped him win the presidential election and secured victory for his United Russia party in a parliamentary poll in December.

The inaugration ceremony will include a booming 30-gun salute and a special blessing from Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill.